Lost Victims: Animal Groups Rush to Help Pets in Japan

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Once the massive earthquake had hit his home in Sendai,
Kamata-san ran to alert his neighbors of a possible tsunami, and
his dog, Shane, escaped from his yard. Once the colossal flood
had washed in, Kamata-san couldn't find Shane and thought the
worst.

About six hours after the wall of water washed through his home,
Kamata-san hears that a dog has shown up outside the shelter
where he was staying. Miraculously Shane had found his way to the
shelter and back to his owner. The Akita dog had scratches on its
leg likely from clinging to debris as the water rose, so animal
rescue workers gave him antibiotics. [ Photos
of Japan's Rescued Pets ]

Some Japanese pets and pet owners are
not as lucky as Kamata and Shane.

In the face of great human tragedies from the earthquake and
tsunami that
devastated Japan on March 11, there is one group of victims
finally gaining notice: pets. In response, several rescue groups
have jumped to aid these injured and abandoned four-legged
survivors.

"We’re at the beginning stage of trying to find out how many
animals are out there," David Wybenga, of Japan Cat Network, told
LiveScience. "There are a lot of unknowns." This network, along
with rescue groups Animal Friends Niigata and Arkbark, have
formed a coalition called Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and
Support (JEARS) focused on the animals left behind.

The coalition has been taking in stranded animals, coordinating
the pickup of pets that had to be abandoned, and dropping off
food and supplies at shelters and for anyone in need. Jennifer
O'Donnel, the Japan Logistics Coordinator for World Vets, said in
an email that she expects there will be at least 10,000 animals
that end up in local shelters and rescue organizations, most of
those being cats and dogs. (World Vets is a non-government
organization that provides veterinary aid around the globe.)

The threat of radiation from the
damaged nuclear power plants is also making the rescue
difficult. The radiation could have health consequences for both
the animals and humans. The teams have just started venturing
into the radioactive zone to rescue the animals there.

"The dynamic of every disaster is that the human-centered
concerns dominate. The animal-related impacts emerge as a
subsequent concern," said Bernard Unti, senior policy adviser for
Humane Society International. The animal-centric worries are just
starting to emerge, and it will be a long road to recovery, he
said.

Several groups are touring the damaged areas and handing out
supplies, including pet food, water, gasoline and medications, to
pet owners. One such group, led by Isabella Gallaon-Aoki of
Animal Friends Niigata, is also rescuing pets, those that might
be roaming the streets or left behind by evacuated owners.

Many
animals have been rescued or reunited with their owners,
though in the worst-hit areas many are missing. "It’s a huge area
to cover, and there are lots of little isolated communities,"
Gallaon-Aoki told LiveScience. "It's just so overwhelming."

The animals aren't allowed to stay in the human shelters that
have been set up, so some pet owners are staying in their
crumbling houses with their animals, which in the wake of
continued aftershocks can be dangerous.

Cat Island

The Animal Friends Niigata group is also working to help the
animals and people left on "Cat Island" – a small island,
officially called Tashirojima, with
more cats than people. The island survived the tsunami with
minimal loss of life after being hit with 20-foot-high (6 meters)
waves, Yutaka Hama, of the island's Hama House Inn, said in an
email to LiveScience.

While most of the people and animals seem to be OK, there is
difficulty in getting supplies to the island and the electricity
and water are still off. Helicopters have dropped off human
supplies, like gasoline and food, but the pet food situation is
unknown. As soon as they can find a boat, Gallaon-Aoki and her
team will bring food and water to the community.

"The people on the island are very protective of the cats, so
taking them off the island isn't a choice," Gallaon-Aoki said.
"We will offer support to give them supplies and help with the
injured animals, but a mass evacuation isn't in the cards."

Sending support

Several groups, including the Humane Society International and
World Vets, have pledged monetary support. The Humane Society
International is shipping $120,000 worth of supplies and
equipment to Japan, Unti told LiveScience. World Vets has also
sent a veterinarian to Sendai to help the JEARS teams and
Kazumasu Sasaki (a local vet living in one of the hardest-hit
areas) administer medicines and care for injured pets.

Visit the JEARS' Facebook page, at
www.facebook.com/AnimalRescueJapan, to learn more about their
efforts and to donate to their cause. Monetary donations are
preferred, though helping hands and homes are needed for rescued
pets. "We need help at our shelter right now," said Japan Cat
Network's Wybenga. "If they can't come to the shelter we need
foster homes. We want to get animals out of the shelter and into
homes."

JEARS shelters are no-kill, and will keep as many animals as they
can for as long as needed. They are focused on finding homes for
the animals. Government-run shelters do gas animals, but the
rumors that they will be euthanizing lost pets are unfounded;
they will hold on to the animals for as long as they can.

All of these organizations are taking donations, so check their
websites for instructions.